Excavator an-d loader



W; FEBRIS. EXCAVATOR AMD LOADER. APPLICATION H'LED JULY 15,19i18.

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Wl FERRIS. EXCAVA`LOR AND'LOADER. .vAPPLIcATIoN FILED IuLY I5. ISIS.

Patented sept. 12,1922.

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W. FERRIS.

ExcAvAToR AND LOADER.

, APPLICATION FILED JULY 15,1918.

1,428,540. 4 Patented Sept. 12,1922.

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wJNEss.- i-" /x BY @22M W'. FERRIS. EXCAVTOR AND LOADER. M PLlcATlQN FILED JULY 1514918.

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Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

UNITED STATE-s ParamQW ,WALTER FERRIS, OF SOUTHlVIILWAU'KIlE, WSCONSIN, ASSIGNOR 'll-*O BUCYBUS,COlVll IANY, OF SOUTH IVIIIVAUKEE,` -WSC'ONSIN, .A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

EXGAVATQRl AND LOADER.

Application led July 15,

citizen oi'f the United States, residing' at` `bouth Milwaukee, in the' county ot Mil waukee and State of Wisconsin,l have invented a certain newand useiul Improvement in Excavators and Loaders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n excavating and loading machines and has` i'or one object to provide a new and improved ii'orm of self-contained, self-convey-` ing,l or propelling excavating machine which may be used to dig deeperthan the surface upon which the machine rests orthe same depth or not so deep. Another object is to provide a device which will move from s'de to side so as to always approach the pile or place of excavating without changing the point at which the material is dumped into the wagon or conveyor or other device which carries olf the spoil. Another object is to provide an excavating machine which may be moved about no matter where the work is and-which may be moved with a minimum of difiiculty and delay and which may be moved about by its own self-contained power. Another object is to provide an excavator wherein thevtruck or carriage upon which it is mounted may be moved from side to side, changed in direction or moved about and wherein the excavating portion olz the apparatus may be moved indepeinlently ot the truck or may be held stationary while the truck is moved and wherein no matter where the movemcnti el" the truck or excavator ytakes place itllig. 2 is a sectional plan view along the line 2--2 of Fig. '1; y y

l" 3 is a detailed sectional plan view on a large scale taken on the line 3 3 of Fia. l. withparts indicated in brolren lines; Fig. Alis ar detailed sectional view centrally taken oit' the loading ladder and .dicated by dotted lines;

191s. serial Noj 244,334'.

digging aider Wah chain and bucket in? Fig. `5 is a sectional top planlvie'w of Fig. l along the line 5%-5 of Fig. t;

Fig. Gisan elevation of'Fig. 4 with parts omitted shown in broken lines; v F 1g. 7 is a sectional elevation of the gearingvat `the dump end of loading ladder.

iig. 8 is a perspective view of 'thefladder brace; y

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the spring confining means;

Fig. l() is: an enlarged sideclevation ot one ot the digging buckets;' Y

p Fig. 11 is a section along'line 1lb-1l ot Fig. l0. M

Like partsA are indicated by like characters in all the drawings.v l f 'i A built-up structural"member of boomlike design is employed in my invention as a loading-ladder L having the bracketsl L1 L1 assembled withthe sides of lisov as to be integral therewith at oneend' and at the opposite end similarly mounted tothe said sides,the brackets L2 and a correspond-- innr brarket similar design (but not shown) on the other side of ladder L and coinciding` with L2 as a means for journaling` the elements at this part of my device, the dumpend of the loading ladder L. The sides ot the frameworlicFarelbridged bva shalt l,journaled in the doublebearings 2 which are rigidly attached kto ,the framework l?. Said shait l has mountedthereon chain idlers fl. The blocks 3 are flanged as shown and reciprocate on the sliding' ways 5 formed on the upper and lower ledges bi the openings 5 which occur in th'eicastings L1 to allow for the before-Inentionedr reciprocation of the blocks 3 back and forth on the changing of' the digging-ladder as hereafter described. y A j A digging ladder at the forward end of myvmachine is composed of structural members and projects from theloading'ladder ,L being pivotally connected 'to the shaft l and so slidable with respect to the'brackets L. Mounted on the shaft l and between' the idlers 4 is the yoke member 6 to whoseup turned sidesv are rigidly connected the members 7 which reach, and arerigidly connected to the head 8 forming in this manner a track or ways for a roller chain 11. The head 8 is designed to also supply bearing means for the mounting of the head sprockets 9 on a shaft 10 said shaft being journaled in the casting 8 as shown. The dig ging elements in removing material travel in the direction of the feathered arrow shown in Fig. 1 and consist of the roller chain 117 11 between which the buckets 12 are mounted by means of the plates 12, 12 secured to said buckets and provided with the holes 122 which register with the holes for the chain pintles' for the reception lof said pintles in fastening the buckets `12 to the chains 11, said buckets 12 having reinforced cutting edges or lips 123 as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The under side of the digging ladder L3 has the members 13 which are integral with the plates 14 that are pivotally connected on both sides of the loading-ladder L to the brackets L at a point below the pivotal connection of the upper part of the digging' ladder L3 about the sh aft 1.r The members 13 at their outer ends are pivotally suspended from the tracks 7 by means of the links 15 which are firmly held in their relative positions by the yoke e. The digging ladder L3 is raised or lowered by the rods or links 16 which are attached to the quadrants B, hereinafter described.

Within the loading` ladder L and connected to the sides of same by means of rivets and spacing blocks are the tracks .1T and 18 upon which travel the rollers of the bucket chain 11. lVhen the digging ladder is down the idlers l; serve as a point of turning` for the -cha-'ins 11, said idlers lying in the track path formed by the members 7 and 17 and filling the gap which would otherwise occur-at the pivotal. point at the shaft 1 consequently providing continuous rails or ways for the upper lap of the chains 11. The lower laps of said chains are directed over a single gap of greater width by means of a fiexible laminated structure 2O rigidly held clamped between the brackets 19 and 19. These are firmly secured to the inner sides of the loading ladder L by means of bolts or rivets which engage said member 19, and the aforesaid sides of loading ladder and also serve in binding the said sides to the castings L. T he opposite end of the flexible member 2O passes through a guideor passage formed by the brackets 21 being connected to the plates 1st leaving the top of said brackets 21 to be closed b v the members 13 of the digging ladder L3, in this manner providing means by which the springs 2O are free to slide within the pocket thus formed. The parts 19 and the angle irons 13 are chamfered as shown to obviate the bumping of the rollers of the chains 11 in passing over what would., otherwise, be a marked difference in track levels. By this construction a` means is provided by which A shaft 22 is journaled in the bracket lf at the dumpl end of the loading-ladder L, on

which are rigidly mounted the sprockets 23 over which the bucket-chains 11 pass. gear wheel similarly mounted on shaft 22 is in mesh with the pinion keyed to the stud shaft 27 which is mounted in a bearing 26 on the bracket L2 on the floating arm 31. A sprocket wheel 2S keyed to said shaft 2T receives its motion from the drive-chain 29 which passes over the sprocket 3l) mounted at the top ofthe rocking arm The products conveyed to the point of dump by the bucket-chain are prevented from scattering beyond a fi.\Ied point of discharge by the guard N which is sustained in position by the arms 33 fastened. to the sides of the loading ladder L.

'.llherocking arm 32 is forked at its lower end over the bracket 532 to which said arm is pivoted. The upper end of the arm 32 has formed on it a means for snpportiu the sprockets 3() and 341:.

The energy necessary to move the mechanism of my device is supplied by a motor M which could be either a steam or electric unit adaptable to portable assemblies of this class.

On the motor shaft which is concentric with the lower pivot of the rocking arm 232 mounted the sprocket which is geared to the sprocket 34 located at upper end of said rocking arm 32, by means of the chain or belt 3G. Arm 32 is thereby enabled to follow the inclination of the loading latder L. without aflfcfftiug the tension of chain 36, said arm being connected to said loading ladder by the floating arm 31 and said inclination being shown in dotted line on Fig. 1.

Motion is imparted to the digging` cle ments from the -motor M, by means of a clutch C1, of well knownv construction and operated by means of a lever 37, rod 35% and the rocking hand lever fulcrumcd in the frame F and placed so as to be convenient to the operator who occupies a. seat shown and so marked on Fig. 1. Shifting the clutch C controls the movements of the digging elements, carried by the loading and digging ladders whose position with regard to the revolving frame-work l" is indicated on Fi 2 by the dot and dash outline.

Suitably geared by chain, belt or direct gearing to motor h1 is a selective transmission unit T controlled by the hand wheel and lever set El and the clutch C2 from ll'lil which the'necessary power required by the propelling revolving and, the .raising or lowering of the digging or loading ladders received.y

. The double hearings 2 are designed to re-` ceive the studs Il() which forms the; pivot about which swing the two toothed quadrants B, Bdisposed as shown on either side of the loading ladder L. The lsaid quadrants have the eccentric lugs l1 formed integral with theirhub portionsto 'which are pivotally attached the push-rods 42 said rods being capable of exactadjustment by means of the turnbuckles 43. 4

. Through a gear assembly S, driven through the laforesaid transmission unit T, reversil'ile motion is imparted to the pinions A, by means of well known clutching devices (not here shown) controlled by the `lever set E2 whereby the quadrants B, B are set in motion. to produce an upward or downward swing of the digging ladderL3 conditions require, said swing being effected by the push or pull of the rods '1.6 attached to the quadrants B. lVith said downward or upward swing there occurs an oscillation or sliding` backwards or forwards ofthe load.- ing-ladder, horizontally; the openings 5 of the brackets L and the blocks 3 permitting said sliding to occur without disturbing the shaft l which rests stationary with its beari ings 2 on the framework F. This oscillat` ing` feature is caused by the motion of the quadrants B whose eccentric lugs ll convey through the push rods 41,2 the effect on the loading ladder before describerh by means of push-rod ends, opposite to theeccentric lugs aforesaid, which are'` attached to the castings L by the pins r," thereby varying the distance between the center of the dumping sprocket' located on the loading ladder and of the excavating sprocket located on the digging ladder in such. a. way as to maintain a `constant tensionof the digging bucket chain notwithstanding the variations in angle between the two hamers.

When it is desired to raise the loading ladder L as shown dotted in l* l, the pins f Fig. 5 are inserted in the holes 4,4- of the brackets L while the quadrants B are low enough to permit said pins to be soV placed, as indicated in dothand-dash line, Fig. 6, the quadrants B are then revolved so that the face B of the quadrants aforesaid bear against the pins raising the ladder L the desired angle when it is held stationary in this position by. means of an adjustable brace l. y The propelling of my device is accomplished through the transmission assembly (i, which is also driven by belt or chain arrangement from the transmission unit T and is controlled by the foot-lever sets D, d, D f?, and d, forward or backward movements being furnished through the selective trans-y mission T Aand steering being accomplished by the selective use ofone or both of the fric` tion clutches@5 CG which are respectively geared to the caterpillars P and l, that either or both of saidcaterpillars may be driven., as desired. Un account of the swinging function ofthe framework F and. the fact that its centerof rotation is not over the base a constructionis necessary to compensate for` the differences indistance between the shaft centers l5 andV flo attached to theupper works, and the shaft centers 52 and 52 attached to the base. This is provided fer by an arrangement of bevel gears, driving on the shafts l5 and 45" A'which project through to the underside of the framen work l" as illustrated in Fig. The sprockets 4l@ and 46 and double sprockets 4:7 and 4.7 with their chains 48, 4&8 are positioned by. the radial floating arms 419.49 pivoted -to the upper frame at ,45, 45. The arms 5() and 50 pivoted to the base with shafts 52, 52 and also pivoted at the double sprockets 474417 form a fiex'ible device whereby the pinion 55, which is carried by the framesv work F, moving along the rack 5ft imparts a,.correspondingl movement tothe track 5G, therollers 57 andl fmoving in a circle with the pinion about-their conimoircen'- ter X; the rollers so ,designed and yset with regard tothe cross-section of the trackfG, that there is always a rolling vlit preserved thus avoiding any tendency to a rocking of the :framework Fawayffrom its points of bearing ,on said track 56. f `Spuds of the usual form are proviiiled at the end of. the tracks to prevent tipping when the frame is at the extremity thereon..I i

Provision .is madeQ to protect'the mechanism of my device from the excessproducts of removal falling about the movable parts of the fralncwork`I*1 lThe loading ladder L closed at the bottoni by the n'icinber 59 to which lis pivoted. the latches (El) which are adapted to hook over studs providi-id on the sides of said loading ladder; thereby f rnishing afincans for removal of said products spilled in transit ,along said ladder.

n The uscand:operation of my invention are as follows i y y i Power is applied tothe central electric motor` or other movementv by any snit-able means. l When this motor or prime mover operates `it may vor may `not, transmit power to thevarying` transmission and power controllingapparatuses ofthe different parts of the ymachine so'that according yto the will of the operator the vdifferentA parts of the apparatus may be -put into operation.

`Vhen ther operator 4so `manipulates this device as to start the excavating chain to operation, the bucket will cut into'vthe spoil bank or into the wall of thel cut wherever the cutting is to -he donea'n d each bucket as it passesaround the edge of the, sprocket will take its bite and carry that bite or load up along the excavating, thence onto the loading ladder and discharge it at the rear end of the loading ladder behind the machine. This will continue as long` as power is applied to thebucket. It it becomes desirable to raise or lower the excavating ladder as indicated, the operator merely manipulates the apparatus to cause the loading ladder to pivot about a pivot point and in order that the chain may be always kept tight the means provided are shown whereby there will be a sufficient slidable movement ot the ladder with respect to the ap` paratus and with respect to the dumping ladder to keep the bucket chain tight.

@t course, while the apparatus exeavates it must be moved forward or swung from side to side or else there will be no turther material or spoil to be picked up by the bucket. manipulating the caterpillar tractor support to move the whole apparatus forward or to swing it from side to side. Ordinarily, however, the tractor support will normally be used merely to 'feed the apparatus forward in a straight line and the frame which supports the excavating` and dumping ladder will be rotated about a pivot p'oint to swing the excavating end of the excavating ladder from side to side so that as the bucket picks up the spoil it may constantly have brought in a new supply. Ordinarily the machine will move torward gradually while swinging from side to side either steadily or by steps.

Observation will show that the excavating platform is not pivoted on the supporting` trame. It is supported on it on two segmental tracks whose center of curvature is at a point behind the supporting` platform so that when power is applied t0 the driving or traversing gears the whole apparatus will swing from side to side. The rear end will not swing quite 'far as the forward end and both ends will rock or rotate about the center of curvature of the two tracks. This center of' curvature coincides substantially with the discharge end oi the loading ladder so that no matter what the position of the frame and supporting parts on the'truck may be the discharge end of the loading ladder will still discharge its spoil into any suitable receptacle which may be placed behind the apparatus.

Obviously, the adjustment of the rearmost discharge ladder which is partially :for the purpose of keeping the chain tight, can also be for the purpose of changing the points of discharge in a vertical direction at the will of the operator.

I claim 1. An excavator comprising a supporting` truck and means for propelling and controlling it, a platform mounted thereon and This can be done by' means for rotating it about an axis removed from the truck, a two-part excavating and spoil conveying ladder mounted on the platform the axis about which the platform rotates being substantially coincident with the discharge end of the ladder.

2. An excavator comprising a supporting truck and means for propelling and controlling it, a platform mounted thereon and means for rotating it about an axis removed from the truck, a two-part excavating and spoil conveying ladder mounted on the platlorm, each part pivoted thereto to rotate ou a horizontal axis thereon during operation and means ior adjusting the discharge segment of the ladder in a horizontal direction.

3. An excavator comprising a supporting truck and means tor propelling and crnitrolling it, a platform mounted thereon and means for rotating it about an axis removed from the truck, a two-part excavating and spoil conveying ladder mounted on theiplatterm and means Vfor adjusting the discharge segn'ient end o'f the ladder (in a horizontal direction) the axis about which the plafiiorm rotates being substantially coincidmit with the discharge end of the ladder.

An excavating machine comprising a supporting member, a pair of coiicentric tracks thereon the center of curvature of which is removed from the su pporting member, a platform mounted 'for movementalong said tracks, means for holdingl the central line ot the plat-term radialk to said track comprising vertical rollers engaging the track and means 'for propelling the platform along said tracks.

5. Btn excavating machine comprising` a supporting member, a pair ot concentric tracks thereon the center ot' curvature of which is removed from the supporting member, a platform mounted for movement along said tracks, means for holding the central line oi' the platform radial to said track, means Yfor propelling the platrtorn'i along the tracks comjjirisiug a rack associated with one ot them and a gear rotatably mounted on the platform and engaging said rack the means tor holding the platform in radial position with respect toY the tracks comprising a plurality of vertical rollers engaging the other track.

G, An excavating machine comprising an excavating ladder, a. member upon which it is pivotally mounted, means tor rotating it about a horizontal axis upon such member, a spoil carrying ladder and means for rotating it about a horizontal axis adjacent to the horizontal axis of the excavating ladder.

7. An excavating machine coinprising an excavating ladder, a member upon which it is pivotally mounted, means for rotating it about a horizontal axis upon such member, a spoill carrying ladder and means for rotating it about a horizontal axis adj acont to the Cil tiff

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horisaontal axis of the excavating ladder, an endless chain, excava g buckets carried thereby, means for guiding said chain along a path extending from the excavating end oit the excavating ladder then along the discharge ladder arouml the discharge end and back to the excavating head.

8. An. excavator comprising a two-part excavating and discharge ladder, an endless chain mounted thereupon and travelling therearound and `excavating buckets carried thereby, means for rotating the two parts of the ladder independently and means for providing` a continuous track tobridge the gap between the two parts when they change their angular position.

0. A n excavator comprising a two-part excavating and discharge ladder, an endless chain mounted thereupon and. travellingl therf-iaronnd and. excavating buckets carrieil thrneby, means for rotating the two parts of' the ladder iinlependenily and moans for luyviding a ymutinuous track to bridge the gap between the two parts when they change their angular position and means for .maintaining automatically the chain tight independent of the angular position of the twopart member.

10. An excavator comprising a two-part excavatingand discharge ladder, an endless chain mounted thereupon and travelling` therearound and excavating buckets carried thereby, means for rotating the two parts of the ladder independently and means for providing a continuous track to bridge the gap between the two parts when they change their angular position and means for maintaining automatically the chain tight independent of the angular position of the twopart member said tighteningmeans comprising a slidable mount for the excavating ladder and means for moving the excavating laddlir at its pivotal end slidahly upon said slidable mount asit is pivoted.

11. An excavating machine having an elongated excavating and spoil lconveying two-part member, a pivot support on the excavating machine body for both of the two parts and. means for separately rotating both of said parts upon said pivot support about a horizontal axis.

12. An excavating machine having an elongated excavating and spoil conveying two-part i'neinbcr, a pivot support for both of the two parts and means for separately rotating both of said parts upon said pivot support about a horizontal axis, an excavating chain travelling about both of said two parts and means for maintaining the tension of the chain tight independent of the angular position of said two parts.

13. In an excavating machine a pivotally mounted excavating ladder, means for rotating it about the pivot mount and for simultaneously sliding the pivot in a direction parallel with the general direction in which the ladder extends.

111-.. In an excavating machine a cutting chain, an excavating ladder` along which it is adapted to travel, a track along which the chain is adapted to travel. leading to a discharge point, means for changing the angular position of both of said tracks and means independent 'of the angular position for guiding the bucket from. one track to the other comprising an idler wheel between the two sections, together with a flexible connecting tongue.

15. In an excavating machine a pivotally mounted ladder, an excavating bucket chain adapted to travel therealong, a driving sprocket on the ladder engaging the chain, a platform upon which the ladder ispivotally mounted, driving means on rthe platform and a connection between the driving means and the sprocket operating independent ol' change in angular position of the ladder, connjnising a rocker arm, a sprocket thereon, a driving connection between it and the driving sprocket on the ladder, and a power transmitting connection between it and the driving means.

16. An excavator comprising a supporting truck and means for propelling` and controlling it, a platform thereon and means for rotating it, a two part excavating and spoil conveying ladder mounted on the platform, each part separately pivoted tov rotate on a parallel horizontal axis during operation, said axes being parallel and fixed against Vvertical movement.

17. An excavator comprising a supporting truck and means for propelling and controlling it, a platform thereon and means for rotating it, a two part excavating` ,and spoil conveying ladder mounted on the platform, the two parts pivoted thereto to rotate thereon on parallel horizontal axes during operation, said axes being fixed against vertical movement, and means for laterally shifting the axis of one part.

18. An excavating machine comprising a supporting member, a plurality of concentric tracks thereon, a platform mounted for movement along said tracks, means for holding the central line of the platform radial to the center of the tracks, said means comprising a plurality of vertical rollers engaging each side of the track, and means for propelling the platform along the tracks.

19. In an excavating machine a cutting chain, an excavating ladder along which it is adapted to travel, a track along which the chain is adapted to travel leading to a discharge point, means for changing the angular position of both of said tracks, and means independent of the angular position for guiding the bucket from one track to the other comprising an idler wheel between the two sections together with a flexible conneeting` tongue, the upper turn of the chain riding on said idler wheel, and the lower turn restingv on said tongue.

20. A pair of main shafts, sprockets on each, a `i'ioating shaft between them and a plurality ot sprockets on it, pivot links hetween each main sha ift an d the 'Heating shaft and sepa fate chain belts joining' each oli the siknoelrets on the heating); shait with the sprocket on one ot the main sh a'tts.

2l. i pair of main shafts, sprockets on each, a itioating` sl'iaiit between them and a plurality of sprockets on it, pivot links between eaeh main shaft and the 'floating shaft and separate Chain belts joining.;` each or' the sprockets on the ilo-ating shai't with the sprocket on one or the main shaftsj one et said links and chain belts beingl shorter than the other.

22. A pair oil main shafts, sprockets on each, a lloating;` shaft between them and a plurality of sprockets on it, pivot links between each niain shaft and the floating` shaft and separate chain belts oining each of the sprockets on the lloating shaft with the sprocket on one of the main sha1-fte, said links beingl in their normal position suhstantially at right angles one to another.

23. A pair of inain shafts9 a pair of links pivoted together and one pivoted on eaeh ot said shafts, gears on each ot said shafts and at the pivot point between said links and a positive connection between all of said gears.

24. A pair of main shafts, a oair of links pivoted together and one pivoted on each of said shafts, gears on each oit said. shafts and at the pivot point between said links and a positive connection between all of said gears7 said positive connection being positive at all times independent of any variation in the relative positions ot the shafts.

25. In a conveyor, a dise, a Workii'lg platform movable thereon, a motive power souree located on the platform, driving and supporting members Ytor the dise, the platform being mounted ior displacement with the dise, and a driving connection 1ootweon the dise operating and supporting` means and the power source independent of the plat-forni.

In testimony whereof, li. affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses this 6th. day of July 1918.

TALTER FERRIS.

vVilitnessts Guo. H. RONDEAU, Mrs. META SoiiriiaLLnn. 

